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Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated The Florida Project (2017) in Movies
Feb 12, 2018
Horrible
Halley an rebellious woman lives with her daughter Mooney in a budget type of motel on the outskirts of Disney world. Halley has no respect for anything and her attitude has passed on to her her daughter who is so disrespectful. Bobby (Dafoe) who is the manager knows the policy that longtime rentals are not allowed kind of has a soft spot for Mooney and the other kids who are there and bend the rules for them and allow them to keep switching rooms and stay longer. Disruptive behavior will be the end of Halley and have her daughter taken away for her with good reason.
This movie disturbed me so much. I know unfortunately that this type of living goes on in America and this movie just shines a light on it to a point that makes you sick. I am sorry I wasted my time on this film
This movie disturbed me so much. I know unfortunately that this type of living goes on in America and this movie just shines a light on it to a point that makes you sick. I am sorry I wasted my time on this film
The Black Ice (Harry Bosch, #2; Harry Bosch Universe, #2)
7.5
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The official report said suicide. But in a city where murder is sport, Bosch isn’t ready to blame...
Kate (493 KP) rated Gasping For Air in Books
Oct 19, 2020 (Updated Oct 19, 2020)
This was the second book in the series. I enjoyed this book more than the first. A couple of characters from the initial book were also in this book and it tied the entire series in as all the books are based at the motel. I was proud of Lillian for just up and leaving. It takes a strong person to do this and someone who just snaps and has enough. I liked the change of pace in this story as it had a dangerous element to it. I guessed who the stalker was as it was obvious but I don't feel this book was written to be an 'edge of your seat thriller'. I also hadn't expected it to be. Lillian definitly grew as the book went on. Even though she was a strong woman to begin with but she became alot stronger. It also had a nice ending.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Night Sister in Books
Feb 13, 2018
As children, Amy, Piper, and Margot were thick as thieves until an incident at the Tower Motel, where Amy and her family (including her mother and aunt) grew up, tore them apart. Now Piper and Margot, her sister, have moved on. Piper has moved away, while Margot lives in the same town with her husband, Jason. But when Margot calls Piper in the middle of the night, with some horrible news about Amy and her family, the two sisters are forced to revisit their childhood, and the incident at the Tower Motel that ended their friendship with Amy. What exactly happened to Amy and her family? And is it related to Amy's mother Rose and her sister Sylvie?
As seems to be the case a lot late, this novel weaves its story through a variety of perspectives, including Piper, Rose, and even Margot's husband, Jason. This means jumping back and forth in both perspective and time period. It does this frequently enough that, while suspense does build, it's a little hard to get into the characters or even story momentum at times.
McMahon has a track record of bringing in spooky elements into her books. I'm torn on whether this one almost would have been better with just the human element. Or, conversely, I would have liked to have seen her run with the supernatural aspect a little bit more. As the story was written, you had to suspend your disbelief a bit (so be prepared for that; if that's not your style, you won't enjoy this book). However, it was so lightly woven in that it almost seemed like everything could be pushed onto to other elements. Hard to explain, but I would have liked to have seen the book fall more in one direction or the other.
Still, it was an interesting story and definitely creepy. I certainly found myself a little skittish that night in bed, after finishing the novel.
As seems to be the case a lot late, this novel weaves its story through a variety of perspectives, including Piper, Rose, and even Margot's husband, Jason. This means jumping back and forth in both perspective and time period. It does this frequently enough that, while suspense does build, it's a little hard to get into the characters or even story momentum at times.
McMahon has a track record of bringing in spooky elements into her books. I'm torn on whether this one almost would have been better with just the human element. Or, conversely, I would have liked to have seen her run with the supernatural aspect a little bit more. As the story was written, you had to suspend your disbelief a bit (so be prepared for that; if that's not your style, you won't enjoy this book). However, it was so lightly woven in that it almost seemed like everything could be pushed onto to other elements. Hard to explain, but I would have liked to have seen the book fall more in one direction or the other.
Still, it was an interesting story and definitely creepy. I certainly found myself a little skittish that night in bed, after finishing the novel.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Detroit (2017) in Movies
Jul 11, 2019
“Detroit” tells the story of the Algiers Motel incident that took place during the massive 12th Street Riot in 1967 Detroit, Michigan. Director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal have created a stunning film that will suck the audience into a historical moment of horror.
The film, based on what is known about true events, takes viewers into a world of absolute terror as the streets of Detroit become a warzone filled with racial hatred and violence. After a police raid, looters took to the streets vandalizing and robbing local storefronts.
Rapidly, the police response grew into extreme reactionary violence and fueled the fire of the riot. The national guard is called in and rather than getting the situation under control, the city devolves into what looks like a warzone in a foreign land.
The film has a great build up and the characters are developed quite well by the time the thick of the plot gets started around the Algiers Motel Incident, an event that resulted in the deaths of three black men and the torture of nine other people.
The entire cast is amazing. Heart strings are pulled by the characters portraying Larry Reed (Algee Smith) and Fred (Jacob Latimore), two musicians that are caught in a horrific nightmare simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
John Boyega also delivers a heart wrenching performance as Melvin Dismukes, a black man who tries at great length to stay safe and keep the peace. His character is portrayed as caught in the cross fires of morality and necessity.
Will Poulter plays a real-life villain as blood thirsty and racist police officer, Phillip Krauss. His portrayal of Krauss is terrifying.
The film as a film, is gripping, an amazing cinematic feat. But, the story is painful to watch. Scarier than any horror film, “Detroit” brings to light one of the darkest sides of the human species and a bloody stain on American history.
The film, based on what is known about true events, takes viewers into a world of absolute terror as the streets of Detroit become a warzone filled with racial hatred and violence. After a police raid, looters took to the streets vandalizing and robbing local storefronts.
Rapidly, the police response grew into extreme reactionary violence and fueled the fire of the riot. The national guard is called in and rather than getting the situation under control, the city devolves into what looks like a warzone in a foreign land.
The film has a great build up and the characters are developed quite well by the time the thick of the plot gets started around the Algiers Motel Incident, an event that resulted in the deaths of three black men and the torture of nine other people.
The entire cast is amazing. Heart strings are pulled by the characters portraying Larry Reed (Algee Smith) and Fred (Jacob Latimore), two musicians that are caught in a horrific nightmare simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
John Boyega also delivers a heart wrenching performance as Melvin Dismukes, a black man who tries at great length to stay safe and keep the peace. His character is portrayed as caught in the cross fires of morality and necessity.
Will Poulter plays a real-life villain as blood thirsty and racist police officer, Phillip Krauss. His portrayal of Krauss is terrifying.
The film as a film, is gripping, an amazing cinematic feat. But, the story is painful to watch. Scarier than any horror film, “Detroit” brings to light one of the darkest sides of the human species and a bloody stain on American history.
The Newcomer
8.0
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Mary Kay Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author and Queen of the Beach Reads delivers her...
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Cleaning Nabokov's House in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I won this book on First Reads. The write up caught my attention so I entered, with very few expectations on winning a copy or for the book itself. I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised!
This book was an easy read, but not one of those reads that is so easy you breeze through without paying attention to the plot. The book tells the story of newly divorced Barbara. In the divorce she lost custody of her 2 children & soon found herself living in a dive motel in the small town her "experson" had moved to her to. It goes through the story of Barb regaining her confidence, her children, & in the process herself.
The writing was poetically simple & often laugh out loud funny or tears streaming touching. I found myself rooting for Barb all the way through this book. I look forward to reading more from Leslie Daniels in the future!
This book was an easy read, but not one of those reads that is so easy you breeze through without paying attention to the plot. The book tells the story of newly divorced Barbara. In the divorce she lost custody of her 2 children & soon found herself living in a dive motel in the small town her "experson" had moved to her to. It goes through the story of Barb regaining her confidence, her children, & in the process herself.
The writing was poetically simple & often laugh out loud funny or tears streaming touching. I found myself rooting for Barb all the way through this book. I look forward to reading more from Leslie Daniels in the future!
Mayhawke (97 KP) rated Identity (2003) in Movies
Feb 9, 2018
Sadly Predictable
This is old-dark-house stuff. A group of people stay at a motel and start dying. My first complaint: I don't like gore. To me it's a good indicator that the people who made the film don't think they have a strong enough plot-line to engage people.
It's not over-board in this film, but there's more than I am comfortable with.
It's not a bad film, and it ticks along quite nicely ,with all the usual, 'we've got to get this guy','we have to stick together' stuff but the trouble is it is usual: seen before in a hundred other films. Eventually the filmakers paint themselves into a corner from where they can only head for an ending that is weak and predictable - although I'm not sure what ending wouldn't have been for this.
A good, strong cast including Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina, Jake Busey,and Rebecca De Mornay, class acts all, sadly let down by the material.
It's not over-board in this film, but there's more than I am comfortable with.
It's not a bad film, and it ticks along quite nicely ,with all the usual, 'we've got to get this guy','we have to stick together' stuff but the trouble is it is usual: seen before in a hundred other films. Eventually the filmakers paint themselves into a corner from where they can only head for an ending that is weak and predictable - although I'm not sure what ending wouldn't have been for this.
A good, strong cast including Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina, Jake Busey,and Rebecca De Mornay, class acts all, sadly let down by the material.
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated Psycho (1960) in Movies
Jan 12, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
I had never seen this film and just watched it for the first time a couple of days ago. Going into it, I was vaguely familiar with Norman Bates and who he was and what his story was. I haven't seen Bates Motel or read the book, so I was pretty surprised overall to not only enjoy this film, but have it keep me interested. I was surely convinced that by the end of it, Marion's sister was going to die too and then to find Norman's mother in the fruit cellar and have Norman come after her and then Sam save her, it was a rush and the perfect climax to the film. Then to have Norman's mother's voice at the end when Norman is just sitting, wrapped in a blanket, in an empty room - incredible. I'm not very familiar with Hitchcock's work but am excited to see what else he has to offer as I move through his filmography.
The Enemy (Jack Reacher, #8)
9.0
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You’re in the Army now, son… New Year’s Day, 1990. The Berlin Wall is coming down. The Cold...